League's Best Team Up Next For Shock

Originally Published: Jul 24, 2010 11:35 AM CDT

Bobby Lewis
Oklahoma Sports Mobile Journalist

TULSA, Oklahoma – The Tulsa Shock has been in ‘bounce-back’ mode all year long, but bouncing back from Thursday’s 123-91 loss to Phoenix will be tough.

“The only thing you can talk about is ‘don’t give up’,” head coach Nolan Richardson said after the game. “You’ve just got to keep trying to plug away basket-by-basket.”

If the Shock finds a way to pick up a road win on Sunday against the Seattle Storm, it would raise eyebrows all over the league. Seattle (19-2) owns the WNBA’s best record, and is a perfect 10-0 on its home floor.

“It’s a good challenge for us,” said Shock guard Scholanda Robinson. “It will show what we’re made of. It’ll give us an opportunity to show, not just ourselves but, our fans and this league that, that’s not us out there (Thursday).

“We have a chance to redeem ourselves.”

The losing has begun to wear on the players. Tulsa (4-18) has taken its lumps this season at home and on the road. The team plays better on the road for the most part. Tulsa out-rebounds its opponents and picks up more assists, steals and blocks per game on the road.

The signs point to success this weekend, even against a team that has handled everyone else in the league pretty easily.

“We all come from elite programs and are elite athletes,” said Shock forward Chante Black. “So, losing is not in our vocab, or in our style of play.”

The Shock beat the Storm 90-80 in the team’s only preseason game of the year. The recently traded Kara Braxton led Tulsa with 14 points. Lauren Jackson and Tanisha Wright both scored 15 for Seattle.

Tulsa is 2-8 away from the BOK Center this season. The Shock and Seattle are scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m.